Global Talent Fund Professors in Belfast

Queen’s University Belfast is a leading centre of academic excellence with a distinguished heritage and a global outlook. Founded in 1845, it has grown into a world-class institution with over 25,000 students and 4,000 staff. A top 200 university globally (QS Rankings 2026), Queen\'s combines tradition with innovation, and local impact with international reach. Queen’s is proud to be one of only twelve UK universities selected to receive funding from the £54 million Global Talent Fund, administered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). This five-year initiative supports the recruitment of internationally outstanding researchers aligned with the UK’s Industrial Strategy. With the support of this funding, Queen’s is seeking to appoint professors who will strengthen Queen’s research leadership in areas of national and global importance. Appointments will be held within the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences (MHLS), focusing on translational life science research, and the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS), which will spearhead appointments in one or more of the UK\'s Industrial Strategy priority areas of advanced manufacturing, defence, and digital technologies. The Faculty of MHLS has a thriving research environment from discovery science through to clinical development and implementation and focuses its research around three Health Grand Challenges: One Health, Precision Health and Equal Health. Queen’s provide a connected ecosystem that is now driving ambition for scientists and clinicians to discover, develop and deliver in the Northern Ireland region and beyond. Successful applicants will be able to join this environment, working within one of our leading research centres such as the Johnston Cancer Research Centre or the Wellcome Wolfson Institute of Experimental Medicine. They will develop translational research programmes in key areas of strength e.g., cancer, ophthalmology, respiratory conditions, immune disorders and infectious disease. Applicants will be supported to take full advantage of our new major infrastructure investments, including the £55 million Future Medicines Institute (FMI) drug discovery research hub and the £64 million iREACH-Health clinical research facility (opening in 2027). The Faculty of EPS is a dynamic and internationally diverse community of staff and students, conducting globally significant research that spans engineering and a wide range of scientific disciplines. We are seeking applicants to join our research community, to expand and develop our work by establishing new teams and opportunities. Applications are sought at the intersections of two or more of the following areas of strength: wireless communications, photonics, advanced functional materials, manufacturing, AI, and cybersecurity. EPS has an extensive network of state-of-the-art labs, high-performance computing facilities, and strategic industrial partners - all part of an interconnected research ecosystem in Northern Ireland where government, industry, and universities collaborate effectively. This leads to innovative and interdisciplinary opportunities that are truly unique. Appointees will join a faculty that serves as the academic engine for two major regional innovation centres with a combined £170 million investment: Momentum One Zero and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC). These centres act as hubs for research, collaboration, and commercialisation, bridging the gap between academia and industry to create tangible, real-world solutions. Enquiries can be made, in confidence, to Jamie Cumming-Wesley or Evan Yeckley at WittKieffer. More information on the position can be found in the candidate brochure and on the WittKieffer website. Completed applications should be submitted electronically to rsmith@wittkieffer.com.